


Why Can't This Be Love?

by Jewelofdiana



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: 1980s, F/M, Los Angeles, Romance, Summer Love, Summer Romance, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 09:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27968168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jewelofdiana/pseuds/Jewelofdiana
Summary: Still reeling from his loss in the 1984 All-Valley Karate Championship, fighter Johnny Lawrence has no sense of direction. He's no longer welcome at Cobra Kai, he has no shot of fixing things with his ex-girlfriend Ali, and his stepfather has forced him to get a summer job.Soon, his new coworker, Greer Harris challenges him in every way possible - she's unlike any girl he's ever met, but nothing comes easy for Johnny.  Can this be love after all?
Relationships: Johnny Lawrence/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	1. Cruel Summer

San Fernando Valley, California, USA.  
June, 1984.

Johnny Lawrence sat in the grass next to Haskell Creek, surrounded by empty bottles of coors banquet. The last bottle had grown lukewarm between his hands, but he didn't care – he always finished a six pack, and tonight he was thankful he had something to help dull the pain.

The black eye Larusso had given him at the tournament was throbbing and he could feel heat rising to the back of his neck. The five and a half beers he'd had were finally getting to him. He was used to bruises on his face and his ribs and aches in his muscles after 12 years of karate, but the sting of losing, especially to someone like Larusso, in front of everyone no less – Kreese, Ali, the guys – stung even worse than being kicked in the face.

He tipped back the bottle, swallowed the last of the warm beer and tossed it into the grass next to him. He was tired, but even worse than that – he was humiliated. He ran his hands through his mess of white-blonde hair and let out a sigh.

Was this really it? Is this how it would end for Johnny Lawrence?

The karate tournament marked the beginning of summer – his last summer in high school and instead of riding around the valley with the guys, putting in extra hours at the dojo, and taking Ali to the mall or the beach, he would be completely alone.

He could never show his face at Cobra Kai again – Kreese made that very clear when he smashed Johnny's second place trophy and beat on him until Dutch and Bobby ripped him away. He remembered the silence and the stunned, sullen looks everyone gave him as he got into his car and drove away from the arena. The guys had chosen sides and it was clear they were with Kreese, for good.

Ali was long-gone - she couldn't stand the sight of Johnny, and wanted nothing to do with him. She had chosen Larusso and took every opportunity over the past year to make sure Johnny knew that - she would never be Johnny's girl again.

And maybe I don't want her to be.

He'd never been alone like this before. No friends. No girlfriend. No karate.

What do I have left?

He couldn't sit here and wallow alone like a coward, though. He had to be better than that. He was better than that. He was Johnny Lawrence after all. Cobra Kai or not.

He stood up and wiped the dirt off of his jeans. He bent down to gather the beer bottles and noticed the giant Cobra Kai patch staring up at him. It was stitched to the chest of his red leather jacket, the jacket he had worn almost every day since Kreese had given it to him as a gift for winning the All-Valley Tournament as a sophomore. It was the nicest thing Kreese had ever done for him. The glowing, yellow eyes of the cobra were glaring at him, and in an instant he pulled out his pocket knife and began cutting the stitches. If Cobra Kai was done with him – so be it. He would never wear the patch or their colors ever again. He carefully traced the outline of the black snake with his thumb, and for a moment he thought about how proud he had been to be the top student at Cobra Kai for all of those years. The sting of hot tears pricked the corners of his eyes and he quickly shoved the patch deep into the pocket of his jeans.

He made his way back to his car, a bright red 1982 Pontiac Firebird, a bribe from his stepfather, and started the engine. As much as he hated his stepfather, Sid, he loved this car more than anything else. The plush, black leather seats, the screaming firebird painted on the hood, the top of the line Pioneer cassette player – everything about it made Johnny feel like he was on top of the world, even if for now, he was far from it.

He flicked on the stereo, cranked up the volume, and pulled out onto the 405. As he hit the gas, Van Halen's "Panama" blared through the car's speakers. Van Halen always made him feel better – and he needed that tonight.

He tried not to think about all the times he and Ali had cruised around the Valley in this car. He had driven straight to her house as soon as Sid had given him the keys. They loved to ride around with the sunroof open, playing new tapes and sharing pretzels from the mall. He remembered the first time he kissed her in this car- Ali made him so nervous he almost missed, but she just laughed, placed a hand on his face, and pressed her lips to his. He looked over at the empty beer bottles clinking around on the front passenger seat where she used to sit not so long ago. It made him sick to his stomach to think about her doing all of those things with Larusso – did she play with his hair while he was driving too? Did she sing at the top of her lungs to all the cheesy love songs on the radio while he laughed?

He turned the stereo up so loud he could barely hear himself think. He didn't want to think anymore. He wanted to hit something, but he knew he couldn't punch his way out of this.  
He was done fighting – fighting for Ali, fighting Larusso, fighting for Kreese – it wasn't worth it anymore.

As he took the final turn up the hill to his stepfather's house – a tacky white mansion in Van Nuys- he turned the music down. He knew Sid hated when he blared his music – in the car, in the house, outside while he worked out by the pool, but he lowered the volume out of respect for his mother, Laura. He hated disappointing her.

Laura married Sid 7 years ago, when Johnny was just a kid. She never told Johnny who his real father was, only that he died in Vietnam and he had no pictures of him. She met Sid while she was working as a secretary at his construction company- he owned the number one construction company in the valley and he never let anyone forget it, including Johnny. He constantly reminded Johnny that without him, he and his mother would still be in some dumpy apartment in Reseda, and he should be grateful to live in such a large house. Even then, Johnny knew Sid didn't love his mother, at least not the way she deserved. She was arm candy for him - he was pudgy, balding, and always had food stains down the front of his wrinkled business shirts. Johnny referred to him as "crumbs" to his friends, but he made sure his mother never heard him. He hated how Sid treated his mother - she was beautiful and had a kind heart, but Sid treated her like a zoo animal. He paraded her around every country club, business event, and house parties all over Calabasas and Beverly Hills in hopes he would get noticed by the rich and powerful people of Los Angeles.

Sid rarely paid attention to anything Johnny did - he didn't ask about Cobra Kai or even notice when Johnny came home with first place trophies and medals from tournaments, he never asked about school or his friends. He just shoved cash in Johnny's hands on the way out of the door and told him to stay out of trouble. Sometimes Johnny was thankful Sid didn't push into his personal life or try to "father him" - he made it clear he didn't care about being a father to Johnny, and frankly Johnny didn't need one. He had Kreese and Cobra Kai. He already knew what it took to be a man, and Sid could never do better than that.

It was almost 3 A.M. by the time Johnny slipped through the French doors that opened from the kitchen to the back patio and pool. He never came through the front door- his mother always left the porch light on for him - but he wanted to avoid Sid at all costs tonight. He really wasn't in the mood to explain his black eye, or why he reeked of beer. He just wanted to soak in the shower and slip into bed.

He tiptoed through the kitchen and made sure not to bump into anything that would wake up Sid's German Shepherds, Madonna and Goldie, and carefully ascended the back staircase, praying the dogs wouldn't hear his boots echo on the marble stairs; he noticed the blue light shining through the cracked door to Sid's office - he often fell asleep in his chair watching reruns of old westerns. Johnny was in the clear.

As he pushed open the door to his own room, he heard a gruff voice from down the hallway.

"Coming in a little late tonight, are we, Johnny?," Sid said.

He'd quietly moved from his recliner to his office's doorway and he was wearing a rumpled business shirt speckled in orange Cheeto dust, blue and white striped boxers, and black socks that stopped mid-calf. He was holding a highball glass of scotch in one hand, and the remote in other.

Johnny balled his hands into fists - one hand tightened around his cold metal keys, the other still clutching the leather jacket.

"Uh yeah Sid, I had a karate tournament tonight. Not that you care about it." Johnny replied.

He didn't turn his head to look at Sid, he just stared into the darkness of his room.

"Now wait just a minute, son, you don't get to creep into my house at whatever time you please without saying goodnight," Sid sloshed. Johnny could hear the last of the ice clink around in the crystal glass.

They were both drunk, Johnny was upset and desperately needed to shower. He didn't want to engage with Sid. Not tonight.

"I'm not your son, Sid. But goodnight or whatever," Johnny replied. He didn't move. He knew this would get Sid riled up, but he couldn't help it. He was already angry - he really didn't need this.

"You may not be my son, but you drive around in that car I gave you. You spend the money I give you - and yet I don't get an ounce of respect in my own house." Sid made his way up the hallway towards Johnny - he was looking for a fight, and maybe Johnny would give him one.

Johnny tried his best not to explode, not to strike first like he had countless times at guys who looked at Ali the wrong way, or anyone who challenged him outside of the dojo. He wanted so badly to beat the shit out of Sid- but he thought of his mother, asleep and alone in bed down the hallway and tried his best to calm down.

"They don't teach you to respect your parents at that little karate palace of yours? Maybe I should teach you a lesson Johnny." Sid was in his face now. The scotch on his breath and the smell of his gross sweat filled Johnny's nose, but he remained still.

Strike first. Strike hard. No mercy.

Those words had been drilled into his head every single day for twelve years.  
He wanted to strike Sid. He wanted to do more than that. He wanted to make up for the years of being ignored, being blamed for every problem. He wanted to hit him harder and harder until he couldn't see straight. There was no mercy left for Sid- not tonight.

But Johnny didn't move a muscle.

He kept his voice calm as he answered.

"I don't think there's anything you could teach me, Sid. Now goodnight. I'm going to bed." He shrugged Sid off and pushed his way into his bedroom. Making sure to close the door hard enough to startle Sid, but not loud enough to wake up his mom or the dogs.

He heard Sid try to steady himself as his attempted to shuffle back to his office. He would be passed out in a matter of minutes, and more than likely wouldn't remember this interaction come tomorrow morning.

Johnny would - he remembered every single time Sid drank too much and tried to get in his face. He did it after particularly nasty arguments with Laura that usually revolved around Sid leering at another woman at one of their parties. She had no idea what he would do behind her back. Sometimes Johnny wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her awake - he wanted so badly to get her out of here and away from Sid. She deserved so much more than an empty life in a mansion with a man who drank too much and didn't love her.

But for those same reasons- he couldn't. He remembered their one bedroom apartment in Reseda. The cracks in the walls, the twin bed they shared on the floor of the bedroom. She worked so hard and yet that's the best she could do. Laura always kept Johnny fed and clothed, sometimes at her expense, but she wanted her boy to be okay.

And Johnny was - he never blamed Laura for how they lived before she met Sid. As much of an asshole as he was, he spoiled her with lavish gifts, designer clothes, and she didn't have to work anymore.

His friends never knew about his life before Cobra Kai - he didn't want anyone to challenge where he came from, and once he hit the mat, they wouldn't dare try.

Johnny's head was pounding by the time he dumped his stuff on the floor and sat on his bed. He slowly unbuttoned his flannel shirt, noting how tender his ribs and chest felt- there would be a large bruise on his sternum by morning. He stumbled into the bathroom, and took a look at himself in the mirror.

His right eye was a nasty mix of black and purple and he was lucky his nose wasn't broken. Larusso had kicked him in the face - an illegal tournament move- and before he could retaliate, he was on the ground and the match was over.

Sweep the leg, Johnny. Or do you have a problem with that?

Kreese's graveled voice echoed in his head over and over again on a loop.

Is this what I get for showing mercy?

He wasn't a cheater - he may have been a relentless fighter, but he didn't have to fight dirty in order to win. He didn't like or respect Larusso, but he wasn't going to hurt him even more than he already had. He respected the sport too much for that.

But none of this mattered anymore.

Johnny turned the water on for a shower. He let the water get so scalding hot, as soon as the steady stream hit his skin, it turned bright red. He didn't care- he just needed to stand there and embrace the heat so he could clear his mind.

He didn't know what tomorrow would bring now that there was no Cobra Kai in his life - and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

He finished his shower and toweled off in the bathroom - he welcomed the steam and took a deep breath. He was completely sober now and his head was pounding. It was time to sleep off everything that had happened today.

He pulled on shorts and climbed into bed. The poster of Cindy Crawford he'd ripped from the swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated was looking down on him as he eased into bed. His body ached and so did his heart.

Who was Johnny Lawrence without Cobra Kai?


	2. Working for the Weekend

Johnny woke up with a headache from hell.  
After a night of tossing and turning, he was drenched in sweat and his head pounded from exhaustion and the crack in his nose. His legs were tangled in his damp navy blue sheets, and his alarm clock buzzed viciously on his nightstand.  
6:30 AM. Sunday Morning.  
Normally, he would be up by now - wide awake and working out by the pool, refreshed and focused, ready for a long day of training at the dojo. Training never stopped for Cobra Kais - no days off, even after a big tournament like the All-Valley.  
Kreese wanted his students- his nest of cobras - his soldiers- to be prepared for battle at all times.  
Johnny untangled himself from his sheets and slammed his hand down on his alarm clock. The silence of his room was a welcoming sound - between the beers and the shots to his nose - he needed that pounding to slow to a dull roar. He let out a sigh and shoved a pillow over his face - it was a futile attempt to block out the bright, early morning Los Angeles sun.  
He stayed like that for a while - he thought, just for a moment about crying, about screaming into the void of his pillow - about letting it all out, his anger, his sadness, his frustration with the way things turned out for him. But he didn’t. He wouldn’t.  
Johnny Lawrence is not a pussy.  
He wanted to wallow in self pity - but he knew he couldn’t. He would give anything to have it all go back to the way it was. He wanted to be on top again - to be loved by Ali and feared by everyone else.   
It would never be the same. Not after last night.  
He gave up on trying to slip back into sleep - he was exhausted. His anger, his adrenaline, his overwhelming sadness for the life he knew kept him from a peaceful rest. Instead, he forced himself out of bed and tore his dresser apart looking for a t-shirt that didn’t have that fucking snake with its stupid yellow eyes staring at him. The rest of his Cobra Kai gear - his red jacket, his gi, his headband - were shoved deep into the trunk of his car. He didn’t have the heart to do anything with them. Not now at least.  
He finally settled on a plain white t-shirt, pulled on some worn Levi’s and slipped on his boots. He needed to get out of the house and take a drive. He needed to clear his head and shake off this hangover. He knew exactly where he needed to go, he just had to make sure he didn’t run into his mother, or worse a hungover Sid on the way out the door.  
He was careful to shut his door on the way out. He gripped his keys tightly in one hand and his sunglasses in the other. He crept quietly down the hallway, and stepped lightly down each of the slippery marble stairs. As he turned the corner to the kitchen, he heard movement. The light tinkling of a spoon against a mug, too soft and delicate to be Sid.   
“Good morning, Johnny,” a soft voice said from the corner of the kitchen. Laura.  
She was sitting in one of her brightly-colored silk robes, stirring sugar into her cup of coffee.  
“Why don’t you come sit next to me. There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.” She gestured to the seat next to her at the table tucked into the corner breakfast nook of the kitchen.   
Her large diamond ring glinted in the sunlight that slowly flooded the kitchen and the stack of diamond and gold bracelets that lined her wrists clanked against each other softly. The bags under her eyes were an angry pink and she looked pale- too pale for how much time she spent enjoying her days as a trophy wife tanning by the pool, shopping in Beverly Hills, taking lunches with other wives at the club, and accompanying Sid to party after party in the Hollywood Hills. She looked exhausted and like she had been crying all night.  
Johnny couldn't remember the last time he and Laura had sat down and talked to each other, or even, the last time she noticed he was around. He made sure to stay out as late as possible most nights - out with Ali, training, riding around the valley with the guys, or even doing homework in his car somewhere away from Sid and Laura and the emptiness of the house.  
"Sure mom," Johnny grumbled as he sat down across from her. His head was driving him insane and he had no time or patience for the lecture Laura was about to give him.  
"I'm getting really worried about you, Johnny. We never see you and now you're picking fights with Sid? What's going on with you?"  
Johnny tried hard not to roll his eyes. Did his mother truly believe the lies Sid plied her with? He wasn't picking fights- he was standing up for himself. He would let Sid, or anyone, push him around. Not now. Not ever.  
"Is that what Sid told you? That I'm picking fights with him for no reason? Come on, mom. This is unbelievable." He replied. He tried not to let the anger explode out of him. He would never forgive himself for yelling at Laura- but anger came so naturally to him. He had so much boiling up inside of him - Johnny didn't know what to do with it all anymore.  
In training, Kreese loved when Johnny would unleash his rage on another student. Kreese would egg him on- push him to the edge, taunting and screaming at him until he finished his opponent - until he showed no mercy. Johnny lost count of how many times he'd left his friends bloodied and bruised on the mat. He'd broken Dutch's nose no less than 5 times and sent Tommy to the emergency room with cracked ribs. Sometimes Johnny felt guilty for enjoying the power he had in the dojo - he was the best Cobra Kai there'd ever been and he was proud of it.   
He pushed the anger deep back inside of him.   
Johnny thought about being honest with his mom. He thought about letting it all out and explaining everything that had happened over the past year between him and Ali - and LaRusso. The events of yesterday and how humiliated and dejected he felt right now. How could he ever show his face at Cobra Kai and that he would never compete in a karate tournament again. But he didn't. He couldn't say it out loud - not yet.  
"I'm sorry, mom. I'm just under a lot of pressure right now. I don't know what else to say." Johnny let his voice waver - it was soft and tender, like the voice he used to whisper in Ali's ear to make her laugh or to tell her how beautiful she looked.   
"I just want everyone to get along. Sid does a lot for us and it's time you showed him some gratitude," she replied. Laura reached out a hand to gently place on top of Johnny's and he recoiled at her touch. He reacted quickly - too quickly, and Laura flinched as she set her bejeweled hand back around her coffee cup.  
She continued. "I just don't understand why you're so angry all the time. Sid gave you that car and I've seen you with that pretty blonde girl. Does this have anything to do with her? What about karate? You always come home with trophies. I don't know we don't talk much these days, Johnny, but I'm still your mother- I notice things."  
Johnny ran his hands through his hair and shook his head slowly. "I don't really think that's any of your business, Laura." His words had an edge to them and Laura was startled by his use of her first name. His tone got sharper has he continued, "Do you want me to apologize to that drunk you call a husband? Because I won't. Do you want me to say I'll be more respectful? Is that what you want?"  
Laura's eyes finally met his and they sat for a moment - both pairs of bright blue eyes locked on - no one dared to move first.  
Johnny wouldn't back down, not even from Laura. He didn't want to be hard on her, but what? She suddenly cared about his life? She suddenly wanted to know about what was going on after years of ignoring him to keep up appearances with Sid? He couldn't do this. Not now.  
Laura broke the silence. "I don't really appreciate your tone, Johnny. Your fath- Sid and I think you need an attitude adjustment. He's talked to the facility manager at the country club and you're going to be working there this summer. You're going to learn how to be grateful for all of this," she finished as she waved her hand and gestured to the pristine home around them.  
Johnny couldn't believe what he was hearing. A job? a fucking job? At the club no less?  
"You can't be serious," he roared. "I'm not working at the fucking club! What will people think?"  
He was truly furious now. He couldn't show his face at the club. Not after yesterday, and certainly not as some scrub working there.  
"I'm not doing it. I'm not." He said as he crossed his arms and sat back in his chair.  
"Yes you are. It's already been decided. You start tomorrow and if you can't handle it, you're more than welcome to leave us the keys to the car and your bike." Laura didn't back down either - she was playing the role of his mother now, and she was doing it well.  
Johnny sneered at her as he shoved back his chair and rose to leave.  
"One more thing, you're also going to be driving your coworker, Greer, to and from work every day. She's the daughter of one of Sid's most valued business partners and he's trusting you to handle this. Do you have a problem with that?"  
"It's not like you've given me a choice." He spat back.  
Great. Now he had to play chauffeur to some random girl too? This was such bullshit.  
Laura sat still, arms folded, eyes glassy with tears, and watched Johnny leave the kitchen.  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
Johnny made sure to slam the door on the way out of the house. He was so angry- furious that Laura would even entertain the idea of him working at the country club. All of a sudden she wanted to check back in and play mom again? He couldn't believe it.  
He swung open the door to the Firebird and jammed his keys into the ignition. As he whipped out of the driveway and sped down the hills of the neighborhood, he slammed his fist into the steering wheel.  
His headache was worse now - exacerbated by the bullshit his mother and Sid were putting him through.   
How could he show his face at the club now? Half the guys from Cobra Kai spend their summers there - playing golf with their dads, trying to pick up girls by the pool, and playing billiards for cash. He used to be one of them - their leader even, and now he'd have to take Coke orders and wash golf carts? Fuck this.  
The sun was extremely bright that Sunday morning. It was a beautiful day in Los Angeles - perfect for a drive up the 101 or a walk along the beach. He used to take Ali on drives like this all the time.   
Even though it had been almost a year since Ali left him for LaRusso, he still thought about her and wondered when, or if he'd ever get over her.  
He brushed away the thoughts of Ali and kept driving - he knew exactly where he needed to go today to clear his head - Malibu.  
As Johnny cruised down the highway, windows rolled down and sunglasses on, he could feel his head clearing and his anger subsiding. He pushed down any thought of karate, of Sid and Laura and the dread of going to work tomorrow and tried to enjoy the wind whipping through his hair and Motley Crue playing on his stereo.   
Working at the club was going to be a nightmare, but maybe, it might give him a chance to figure out who he was without Cobra Kai.  
Forty minutes later he pulled into the gravel parking lot of Shelby’s Diner. It was a quiet cafe off the side of the 101 that he discovered one day after a particularly nasty fight with Ali. It looked like a shack on the side of the road - the driftwood exterior was weather-worn and bleached bright gray after years in the sun. It had a large wraparound porch with chairs and tables and surfboards stacked on each side of the door. It was a local hangout for surfers and Malibu locals - mostly old people who ordered cups of coffee and sat in booths for hours combing over newspapers.   
And yet- it was Johnny’s favorite place in the world. He loved to drive out here on days he knew no one would wonder where he was. He would hide out in one of the corner booths - order a huge breakfast and flirt with his favorite waitress, a 65 year old woman named Georgia. Georgia was a model in the 50s and 60s and she loved to tell Johnny stories about parties she used to attend all over the Canyons and the Valley - and in between slinging food orders and refilling cups of coffee she used to tell him about all the famous rock stars who used to beg for her phone number.   
Johnny entered the restaurant and was instantly greeted by Georgia.   
“There’s my favorite guy!” She said with a sly smile on her lips. She came up and wrapped her arm around his shoulders and led him to a table by one of the windows that faced the ocean.   
Johnny couldn’t help but smile as she sat down with him at the table. He honestly wasn’t sure how old Georgia was anymore - she could be in her 50s or her 70s, but she’d aged beautifully. She wore her graying blonde hair in a pile on her head and she always smelled like flowers and cigarette smoke.   
“Why do you look so down, honey?” She said. “Georgia always knows when there’s something wrong with her boy. Spill it.”   
Johnny sighed and slapped the menu back down on the table - he didn’t need it anyway. He always ordered the biggest breakfast on the menu - eggs, bacon, toast, and hashbrowns, and he always topped it off with a cup of coffee and a slice of freshly made pie.   
Talking to Georgia was unlike talking to anyone else in his life -it was easier to share the things about him he kept hidden from everyone else around him, even Ali. He spilled it all to Georgia - he explained how LaRusso had given him trouble at the beginning of the school year - how Ali had jumped at the chance to be with him - and how his life with Cobra Kai was over. He even explained how he had to start working tomorrow and how he was dreading showing his face at the club.  
When Johnny finished, Georgia gently kissed him on the top of his head and left to serve other customers. “Johnny, my angel, it’ll all work out - you’ll see.”   
She didn’t say much - but for some reason, it did make Johnny feel better.   
He sat in silence at his table for the rest of the afternoon. It felt so strange to not have anywhere to be right now - no extra training sessions, no trips to the beach with the guys or cruises around the valley. This was it.   
Tomorrow he started work and he didn’t know how he would get through it - let alone deal with some random girl he didn’t know. She’d be the first girl in his car since Ali - and even though it wasn’t romantic, it still made his stomach churn.   
Greer Harris.   
He tossed her name back and forth inside his head. Her name seemed so familiar to him but he couldn’t recall if he’d met her before. Sid had so many “business partners” it was hard to keep track of them. Sid, Laura, and Johnny had dined with countless stuffy businessmen and their families at the club - each one of them boring and forgettable.   
Johnny did know her father’s game - George Harris owned the biggest construction vehicle lot in the valley. Sid worked every project with him, but Johnny couldn’t recall having dinner with the Harris family at the club.  
On his drive home from Malibu he thought about driving down Sherman Way to try and take a peek at the dojo - but instead he took the exit toward the house.  
He pulled back home into the driveway and sprinted up to his room. He wouldn’t apologize to his mother, and he definitely wouldn’t apologize to Sid. What did he have to be sorry for?   
Luckily, no one was home this time of day. His mother and Sid were probably out somewhere without Johnny - shopping or visiting friends. He was thankful for the silence and solitude of his room.   
As he changed out of his t-shirt and jeans and headed towards the bathroom to shower, he noticed a large brown paper shopping bag sitting neatly on his freshly made bed. Laura never entered his room so she must have given it to Melinda, the housekeeper, to place during her normal cleaning hours.   
He dumped the contents of the bag onto his bed and was greeted by a pair of khaki shorts and a forest green polo shirt emblazoned with the country club crest and his name neatly embroidered in block letters. An envelope also fell out - his name was written on the front in loopy script - Laura’s handwriting.   
He dreaded reading the note inside, but tore open the envelope anyway. He sat on the bed, crumpling the bag and his new work outfit underneath him.   
Johnny,  
Please pick up Greer at 8:00 AM tomorrow morning - the address to the Harris house is listed below. Both of you will meet the club manager, Will Casey, at the front entrance to the golf clubhouse and he will show you around.  
Please don’t let us down.  
Love,  
Mom.  
Johnny tore the corner of the letter that listed the address to the Harris house off the note and shredded the rest - letting the pieces drop like confetti to his spotless, carpeted floor.  
He flopped back onto his bed and let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding and closed his eyes.   
Please don’t let us down. The line from Laura’s note flashed before his eyes.   
He hadn’t even started the job yet and they were already expecting him to fail? Johnny never failed at anything in his life - he was handsome and he had been a black belt in karate since he was 12 years old. When had he ever let anyone down?  
You let Ali down all the time. That’s why she chose LaRusso.   
He silenced the voice in the back of his head that reminded him of Ali. He shoved back memories of all the times they’d screamed at each other, all the times Johnny got so mad he made her cry and how she couldn’t wait to rush into LaRussso’s arms.   
She’s gone and she’s never coming back.   
Johnny decided right then and there that he was going to work his ass off - not because he cared about the job or actually making Sid and his mother happy. He was going to do it for himself.   
He was going to prove them all wrong.


End file.
